Recompense
by eostellary
Summary: Having just married each other, Shikamaru and Temari attempt to solidify their union by traversing the different planes of intimacy together. AKA heaps of conversations, a bit of female-focused foreplay, vanilla sex. Cross-posted in AO3
1. Chapter 1

The thing with being an ambassadress was that you can always work whenever and wherever you liked as long as you kept your deadlines and did your work brilliantly. While the paperwork was a pain to go through, she is comforted by the fact that her efficiency in the work allows her more time for doing other things like running their household, studying more about the Nara clan, and training.

Of course, she had her name listed in the roster for missions when she was sworn in as a dual citizen of Konoha and Suna with the former as her home base. Temari was not a woman who does well by sitting idly by, anyways.

However, today was one of those rare days when she had finished her ambassadorial duties in record time, allowing her two more days of freedom unless she was called to a mission. The kunoichi decided to skip training today as a little gift to herself so she dressed in casual clothes and grabbed her purse instead of her Tessen.

Temari walked the familiar alleys of the Nara estate, finding them to be calming since most of the clan members were going about their day, doing shinobi work, caring for their deer, doing research on their medicines, or running their own households. She exchanged a few pleasantries with some of the clan members who noticed her, still humbled by the fact that they were so supportive and welcoming when she married into the family about a week ago.

She closed the tall gate of the Nara estate and turned toward the direction of Konoha's centre, which lay behind a few more alleyways and several throngs of trees. It was a shortcut that Shikamaru taught her, which she utilised almost every time when she headed into the heart of the city. As the kunoichi was about to leap to a tree branch, she found herself frozen. Panic flooded her for about a second before her gaze turned downwards.

"Going somewhere?"

"I _was_."

She was turned to face her husband, a bored look on her face to mask the fact that she would have jumped in surprise earlier if it weren't for his blasted shadow. Still, it was surprising to see him walking towards the direction of their clan's estate especially at half past 10 in the morning.

"At least act a little happy in seeing me?" Shikamaru teased her with a smirk.

Temari harrumphed at her husband and rolled her eyes. "Why? I saw you this morning."

"Tch. Himedere…" he mumbled, low enough so she wouldn't hear.

"Anyway, why are you home so early? Did the rokudaime finally realise you're just slowing him down with all the cloud-watching you do?" she bantered with a smirk.

"Heh! The opposite. I actually sped his work up today and got some days off," Shikamaru smirked, walking towards her, which made Temari walk towards him as well.

"Ever plan on releasing me?" she asked, a brow lifting.

"Not before I do this."

The Nara clan head leaned in and kissed his wife on the lips, not even caring that they were outside and people could see. In fact, he took great joy in doing that, catching Temari off guard and making her flustered. She never was a fan of public displays of intimacy. When he pulled back, he was satisfied to see a reddish tint growing on her cheeks.

"Baka…" she mumbled softly, a bit breathless. "You owe me brunch now."

"I actually owe you a holiday, but we can go to brunch now," Shikamaru smirked, releasing his wife from his shadow bind. "Glad to see you wear your hair down today. Beautiful."

"Urusai," Temari softly admonished, blush deepening and gaze avoiding his.

"Tsundere," Shikamaru laughed, catching her hand as it was about to swat him on the chest. "Come on. We both didn't have breakfast."

* * *

"Look alive, Woman," he teased her with her own words as Temari let out an indulgent yawn and rested her head on his shoulder. Her slim arms were around his, using them as a makeshift pillow. He had a feeling she was only comfortable doing so since they have their own private booth in the restaurant. "You didn't have to wake up so early today. You had the whole day to work but you what? Started at four in the morning?"

"Hn. Just order me some miso, tonkatsu, and tamago kake gohan," she lazily said. "And dango for later."

"You're sure hungry," Shikamaru chuckled and placed the order for their brunch. "So, where would you like to go?"

"Go?" she asked, opening one eye to look at him. "What's this about?"

"I told you; I owe you a holiday. Were you so distracted by my presence earlier that you weren't listening to me?" he jibed. "I never thought I'd see the day, Tema."

"Baka. I heard you earlier. I just don't see why you would suggest a holiday all of a sudden. We are in the middle of busy times, you know," she replied, fully awake now and looking up at him.

"I have a few days off," he reasoned, laying a hand on hers and drawing circles on the back of her palm mindlessly. "And I am sure you do as well. We received your paperwork this morning."

"Right. I keep forgetting that, somehow, you always have access to my work," Temari chuckled. "But a holiday, though? Seems rather…extravagant at the moment."

"We still have the coupons that Ino and Sai gave us for our wedding," he reminded her. "I was going through our stuff last night and I found it. Seems like a nice place. Besides, it doesn't require us to go out of Konoha."

"Coupons of what? I hardly remember who gave what and what the whats are all about…" she mumbled. "It was a lot to go through and we have only sorted half of our gifts."

"Believe it or not, it's to an onsen," Shikamaru said. "Something about us and our history with onsen…"

Temari turned a deep shade of red once more when she was reminded of their first (and currently last) encounter with an onsen. Certainly not her best and brightest moment. "Ino, honestly," she shook her head. "I thought I told you not to tell her."

"Ino's a mind-reader, in case you're forgetting."

"I know but can't you, like, shield thoughts from her or something?" she huffed. "I wouldn't want our private life dissected and discussed even if they are our friends.

"Oh? Here I thought you're so used to having your life viewed upon by the public, Temari-hime," Shikamaru grinned.

The blonde rolled her eyes. "You are an idiot sometimes."

"A sometimes-idiot whom you married," he replied, bopping her nose with his finger and chuckling when he heard her grumble. "Anyways, we're getting far from the point. Do you want to use the coupon or not?"

"I suppose now's a good time as any. We might get busier in the next few weeks, especially since we're arranging the Chuunin exams. And don't those things have expiration dates?"

"I think so, yeah," he said before thanking their server when their food arrived.

The couple said their pleasantries before their meal and shortly got to eat. Their brunch was a quiet affair, as the pair of them comfortable with silence, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Temari split her dango sticks with her husband, who took them with a grateful smile.

"When are we leaving? We have a clan meeting tonight. I assume you did not forget?" she asked.

"I didn't," he assured her. "And the coupon only grants a two-day-one-night free so tomorrow works."

"Good. You can help me with the chores around the house today, then."

"Mendokusai na…"

"No complaining."

* * *

Temari awoke that morning when the sun was barely rising to the skies. Truthfully, she had a hard time sleeping the night before but she didn't feel at all restless when she opened her eyes. The all-too pleasant sensation coursing through her stomach was to blame for it, she just knew. But she had to cut herself some slack, it was the first holiday she would ever have with her husband anyways. She was allowed to feel extremely excited about it.

The kunoichi gently removed her husband's arm from her stomach and carefully slid out of their blanket to head to the bathroom adjacent to theirs. Temari let Shikamaru sleep a few minutes more while she got herself ready. She decided to wear her hair down since he seemed to like it so much.

"We're going to miss breakfast at the inn if you sleep in more," she said softly, kissing his forehead as she shook him awake.

"'m awake," he mumbled groggily before bringing a hand to his face to rub the sleep from his eyes. Shikamaru sat up from her bed and felt his hair being gathered and tied up into its usual fashion. "I can do that myself."

"I know, but you really need to get a move on."

"Someone's excited."

"Naturally. I haven't had a holiday in _years_ , anata. Now let's go before I drag you out by your ponytail."

After a few short minutes, they were out to travel to the direction of the inn. Being shinobi, they didn't see the need to travel with a vehicle if they can just breeze through the streets and rooftops. Besides, Konoha at daybreak was a sight Temari liked seeing.

It took them about half an hour of sprinting before they reached their inn and Temari let Shikamaru talk to the receptionists while she inspected the quaint yet exquisite lobby. She made a mental note to thank Ino for her gift and she thought she would need to return the favour for hers and Sai's wedding in a few weeks.

The couple was soon shown to their room and Temari marvelled at the sight of the luxurious bed complete with a plush mattress, lush pillows, and an equally indulgent duvet. Outside their door was their private onsen and a very picturesque view of Konoha's countryside. Shikamaru was likewise pleased at what their accommodations had to offer. "We need to thank the ghost couple for this."

The shinobi was nearly hit by a small pillow speeding towards his face. "Just because they're pale, Shika…" Temari shook her head. "At least be kind to the two who were gracious to gift us this."

"Well, I don't call them that to their face. That's kind enough."

The blonde was about to retort when they heard a knock to the dining area of their room, a server letting them know that their breakfast was there. Shikamaru let the man wheel the cart in and bowed to him in thanks.

"Come on. The food here is supposed to be a new kind of delicious," Temari said melodiously, dragging him towards the meal. What greeted her was a sight she probably won't forget anytime soon. And while mortification reigned over her, her pig of a husband started laughing uncontrollably. "Shikamaru!"

The food looked delectable in a different way: rice shaped into a lady's pair of breasts with a mung bean on top to somehow illustrate the nipple; fried egg in the shape of a lady's behind; natto was arranged in a plate that was shaped as a man's member; the end of the plate had a bowl where in the miso soup was contained and it certainly looked like some kind of body fluid; even the tsukemono and kobachi were somehow arranged in an obscene way. The yakizakana was shaped like a woman's apex, if he were to be asked. Only the nori was presented in a normal way.

Shikamaru dragged his wife down to sit by the table and willed to control his laughing. "You have to admit this is very creative. Doesn't it just set the mood, Tema?"

"Shut up. I think I lost my appetite."

"Aw, come on." The shinobi picked up a pair of chopsticks and handed another to his wife. "Don't be such a prude. It's not like you haven't seen any of that before. Or that you don't have some of those…food parts."

"Stop being a pig, Shika."

Shikamaru kissed her cheek to appease her even if her embarrassed state was highly adorable. "Come on. It can't be that bad. It's supposed to be a new kind of delicious, yeah?"

Temari could only sigh as she reached for her bowl of gohan.

* * *

"How have you kept your skin this smooth after all these years?" he asked softly, hands wandering on her naked stomach. His chin was rested on her shoulder, cheek pressed to hers. There was an abundance of space in their private onsen but they chose to spoon in the hot spring.

"You're just saying that," she said softly, the warm water and the feel of his hands on her skin making her feel a little bit more feverish than usual. "I'm sure I have a few scars that I haven't taken notice of to cure."

"I found nothing so far…and I have been to every nook and cranny, haven't I?" he breathed. "You're beautiful, Temari. I feel like I don't tell you that enough. You're brilliant and beautiful, and it's important that you know how I think about you and how I feel about you."

The kunoichi could only smile to myself when he offered his words of endearment. She didn't want to ruin the mood. Shikamaru openly discussing his feelings was rare enough as it is and she merely wanted to savour every moment that they were in it.

"I just wish I'd realised my feelings sooner," he continued which made her frown slightly.

"Don't…Don't say that. We are exactly right where we need and want to be, are we not?" she hummed, turning to face him as much as she could. "I would not have had it any other way."

"Really?"

"Of course. I would not have changed anything. Things happened the way they did because they needed to happen at that place, at that time. Now's not the time to dwell on the misgivings of the past. After all, we have a lifetime ahead of us."

Shikamaru's eyes misted at her words, and he couldn't pinpoint if it were the steam of the hot spring or the perfection whom he held in his arms that caused it. "You never fail to set me straight."

"It has been my job for years. I don't plan on stopping," Temari hummed, one hand going to rest on his arm.

"I'm counting on you."

"I'll try not to disappoint."

"I don't think you could ever," he said truthfully.

"You have much confidence on me, don't you?" she chuckled.

"Of course; it's you."

As if on instinct, Temari bowed her head slightly, not used to being subjected to such words of confidence from anyone in her life. And here was her husband rolling out said words as if he had practised them his whole life.

At the silence, Shikamaru tugged her closer to him, arms tightening around her frame as if he were afraid of what might happen if he let her go. For a moment, he was worried that he had said too much but the blush on her cheeks remained and he took that as a quiet encouragement to continue praising her. Maybe not with words this time.

They never had any elaborate intimate exploits so far, since they only became physical with each other on their wedding night. The transition from close friends to lovers to married couple was quick, spanning only a month. They never had the chance to explore this side of their partnership before marriage. This time, he was hell-bent on making it up for the discomfort she felt when they first came together about a week ago.

The shinobi sank his mouth down gently on her shoulder to nibble on her soft skin experimentally. His eyes were trained on her face, gauging her reaction. Seeing no trace of protest, he continued nibbling towards her neck and up, exploring the expanse of skin available.

Temari gasped in surprise when his lips came in contact with the back of her ear. The warmth that formed there suddenly spread to the whole of her body and she felt like she was aware of the world and lost in it at the same time. Apparently, that spurred her husband on but she wasn't complaining.

Shikamaru paid attention to that spot for a few more moments, taking note of the information to be saved for later. He figured it would come helpful especially since they have a lifetime ahead of them, which meant a lifetime's worth of pleasuring Temari. His tongue darted out to stroke said spot and when she keened in response, heat exploded inside of him and he was a man on a mission.

His hands started to make their move next. They left their niche on her smooth stomach and carefully made their way upwards. His fingers felt the soft and supple curvature of her breasts, introducing her to the sensation gradually. Finally, his hands cupped her mounds, squeezing and prodding until he found a rhythm that made her breathing go ragged.

There weren't many times when Temari was caught speechless, far even rarer when she would be breathless. And yet Shikamaru has managed to achieve that in a short amount of time. She was practically rendered to mush with his hands alone. The way they felt against her skin, his palms roughened by years of combat, it was far too good to even start to describe. And when his thumbs and forefinger pinched her nipples— "Ah!"

What replaced heat was electricity now and she felt her nerve endings being practically shocked but she couldn't find it in herself to complain. When Shikamaru repeated the action, her stomach coiled and her head fell forward. Temari couldn't help her mouth from releasing a moan that was more pleasured than surprised now.

"Shika…" she crooned, hands resting atop his. She wasn't sure why she was nervous about all of this but she was with Shikamaru, the last person that should make her nervous. And so, she mustered up the courage to ask for what she wanted. "Shika, more…"

A small smirk formed itself on Shikamaru's lips as he heard his wife ask in that sultry voice of hers. He peppered her neck with kisses, occasionally dropping a peck on that sweet spot behind her ear, as he fondled her breast eagerly. Temari's constant and consistent keening excited him all the more and he wanted to take her on but he knew he had to be patient for now.

Every single time her husband's hands tightened against her mounds, jolts of heat shoot to her core and she soon began to tremble at the pleasure. She was sure she was making her satisfaction known with her mouth keeping open and allowing a string of whimpers and groans of pleasure to slip through. But then he stopped.

"W-what…" she began to ask breathlessly but then she felt his hands snake downwards. Temari bit her lip slightly in anticipation of what he was to do next. The clear water allowed her to watch his hands as they travelled down her body, and she keened once more when his fingers grazed the sensitive patch of skin below her navel. She had a hunch he remembered that she was sensitive there. He always remembered important things.

The kunoichi could only observe with baited breath as he parted her thighs. Her eyes were glossed like the surface of the water that engulfed them, blinking ever so rarely like they were afraid to miss a crucial part of the show. Temari felt tiny fireworks dance underneath her skin whenever Shikamaru's hands inched closer and closer to her apex.

The heat in her stomach intensified at the mere show and she struggled to grasp just how _good_ it would feel when he finally touched her there. Her hands remained resting on his strong arms, wanting to be a part of the movements that made her feel this way. And finally, a tip of his finger grazed her sensitive flesh.

Shikamaru was silent, remembering all those books that he had read on how to pleasure a woman. He never thought that he would ever get around to using the skills he had picked up from them but he was thankful for the few and far in between moments of self-indulgence that he had sufficient knowledge on how to start making his wife feel pleasured.

The shinobi let one hand rest on her thigh to keep her legs open while he willed the other to explore her womanhood. A fingertip felt the bottom of her slit, tracing invisible circles until he felt a bit of fluid flow out of her. It was hot but thick, unlike the water of the hot spring. Slowly, that fingertip grazed her entrance. It rubbed against her up and down and up again, a steady pattern so she could get used to the sensation.

Temari groaned, struggling to keep the bite on her lips. "Sh-shika…maru…Atashi…Ki-kimo… Ah…"

The small sensation was enough for her to let loose. It wasn't assaulting that she couldn't handle it at once but it was enough to reel her out of her sanity. And as if it wasn't enough, Shikamaru introduced another finger on her flesh to join the steady rubbing. Her eyes shut closed and it only made her feel him more against her pussy.

Shikamaru smiled a little egotistically, knowing that he was the one responsible for such reactions in her. The hand holding her thigh firmed its grip a little as her legs started to quiver. There could never be another first time of Temari losing herself in the pleasure of him feeling up her pussy, so he made sure to savour the moment and make the most of it. Without warning, his ring finger and middle finger hiked upwards and pressed against her clit.

"Ah! Shika!" Temari moaned loudly, her head throwing backwards and eyes tightening their closure. She felt his idle arm slide under her breasts to keep her steady as he continued using his fingers on her clit. The sensation on her knob was too much that she didn't even feel his shadows binding her legs to keep them open.

At first, he experimented patterns on her pleasure centre. He stroked the knob up, down, and every which way, determining by her moans which pattern was the most pleasurable for her. Soon she was steadily moaning without restraint once his fingers settled on the right side of her clit, stroking the sensitive bundle of nerves in a circular motion. Temari's pleasured wails continued and intensified, making his ears burn hot as he found her unrestrained cries of pleasure a great source of satisfaction.

Her mouth went dry as she sucked in huge breaths of air and released them in loud, steady moans that were sure to scratch her throat. She didn't care. The way his fingers worked on her clit was almost too much but she couldn't stop him, she couldn't even _think_. All she had in her mind was the feel of his fingertips rubbing her clit in steady circles.

"Oh, Kami. Kami…Shika…Shikamaru, _ah_! Motto hayaku! Don't stop!" The blonde kunoichi whimpered loudly in between pants. Her back arched lightly as she tried to move her hips in synch with his ministrations, creating more friction for her clit. Temari's wails grew higher and higher in pitch as his fingers sped up.

Her chest heaved; her legs quivered and struggled to move against the bind of his shadows. There was a white-hot coil building up on the base of her stomach waiting to explode. Temari's nails dug on her husband's arms as she started to climb her peak. Her hips stopped moving as his fingers exacerbated their motions.

"Iku…Iku! Shikamaru, _iku_!" Temari screamed, letting herself tip over the edge. Her head remained thrown back and her mouth hung open, letting loose incoherent cries, as she rode out her orgasm. The kunoichi quivered in her husband's arms for a great while before breathed out in pants as her body calmed down.

Shikamaru watched in both astonishment and pride as he watched his wife fall apart in his arms. She has always been beautiful but seeing her lose herself in her orgasm was a different kind of stunning, one that only he would ever have the privilege to see. The husband held his wife against him, his arms helping to steady her as she rode out her climax.

Temari fell slack against Shikamaru's muscular body. She couldn't think clearly at the moment, mainly focused on letting her body relax after experiencing her first real orgasm. Her eyes closed and her head turned towards his, wanting to be as close to him as possible. She felt a kiss on her forehead, gentle and loving.

"Come. I'll take us inside. All this heat can't be good for you," he whispered before he effortlessly gathered her in his arms and walked them back to their bedroom.

Shikamaru laid her on the plush sheets and fetched a towel from the bathroom, taking it upon himself to wipe her dry. He had an endearing smile as he watched her on the bed, too tired to move a muscle. Soon, he wiped himself dry as well and joined her, pulling the sheets on top of them.

Temari let herself be pulled against his chest, her head automatically burrowing itself against his neck. He smelled like pine and sandalwood, something that she always noticed and something that grew on her until she found it endearing and comforting at the same time.

"How do you feel, Tema?" he asked as he began stroking her back gently.

"A million things all at once," she replied, not even caring if she made any sense at all.

"A million good things, I hope?"

"A million great things."

Shikamaru smiled at her reply. "Good. Rest for now. We can continue later."

"Shikamaru?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," she said, managing to wrap an arm around him.

"I love you too, troublesome woman."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I originally intended for this to be a two-part story but for the life of me, I could not! So it will be in three parts. Sorry to disappoint; no lemony snickies here, just pure fluffballs. Also, I really did plan for this to be a PWP thing but my writer self needed even just a little bit of substance. I probably messed up my portrayal of Temari here (though I do imagine her to master both her soft side and mischievous, ferocious side), but blame that on creative freedom and whatnot. Honestly, this chapter seems so bland since it didn't turn out how I wanted it to so please bear with me on that and I promise to do better on the next one! Thank you for your support, everyone!

* * *

When she roused from her nap two hours later, Temari was on her back and she rolled languidly to her side only to be met with more bed space rather than a warm body which she expected to be there. Blinking her teal eyes open, she scanned the room and found her husband's head peeking from the doorway of the kitchen.

"Lunch is here," he said softly.

Nodding, Temari sat up and was a bit surprised when she felt the cloth of the inn's yukata. If her memory served her correct, she fell asleep naked. A soft smile grazed her lips when she realized that Shikamaru must have dressed her while she was sleeping. _How exceedingly thoughtful of him._

The pair of them sat beside one another by the table once more and said their pleasantries. Temari was slightly pleased that their food was not plated out of the ordinary this time. "I guess it would not be as fun as the first time you see it, no?"

"At least one of us had fun," Temari muttered, reaching for her chopsticks.

Shikamaru snorted. "Lighten up, hime."

The woman in question chose to ignore his comment. "Ano…arigatou…for dressing me up while I was sleeping. It seems you remember that I don't do very well with cold temperature."

The shinobi looked at his wife. Her cheeks were tainted pink and she was looking towards her lap, chopsticks in hand but not really moving them. He set his own chopsticks down and tilted her chin so his eyes could meet hers.

There could never be enough words to describe how beautiful she was. Sure, Shikamaru was already acquainted with the fact that she was smart, strong, logical, and just overall brilliant. Heck, they've been really close friends for years and he would be an idiot if he didn't notice that. And Shikamaru was no idiot.

However…it was only very recent that he had come to acknowledge that she was beautiful as well, and not just because her smile was radiant that it could light up the rest of his tomorrows. No, even if she weren't smiling, she was a gorgeous sight to behold. Now, he thinks back to almost every instance that they had worked together.

From that taunting look she gave him when they fought in the chuunin exams, to that smirk she threw him when she saved him from Tayuya, the surprised look that briefly graced her features when she saw him behind her when he had come to her aid against Kujaku, to the many variations of determined looks whenever they were on their diplomacy errands…Even in the midst of war, there was something alluring about this woman in front of him.

"Shikamaru…?"

Blinking his eyes, he was pulled from his daydream by her voice. It seemed he had indulged far too long and she was staring at him in mild confusion. "G-Gomen. My thoughts of you distracted me from…well, you."

Temari swallowed slowly. "Right…"

"I mean…you don't have to thank me for that. You're a strong and independent woman and you can take care of yourself just fine even without me. So, just let me do all the little things that I can to make your life easier and you don't have to thank me for it. I like that I get to be useful to you in tiny, little ways."

He watched as the pair of teal eyes half-hooded themselves and witness how her blush intensified, even going as far as spreading to the tip of her ears. Shikamaru felt his hand being pulled away from her cheek and the next thing he knew, her lips were on his as she was kissing him gently yet firmly. The shinobi returned it without question and shortly, he felt her arms wind slowly around his neck.

"You make it sound like you married me because you wanted to be a butler," she said and then chuckled after she pulled away from him.

Shikamaru feigned confusion and quirked his brows together. "Were you under the impression that it's not my reason?"

Temari grinned and then laughed softly. "Well, I suppose I can work on ordering you around…" she said playfully.

* * *

Clothed in traditional wear and geta sandals, the Nara couple walked through the fields that was near the vicinity of their inn. It was a new parcel of land that Kakashi ordered his team to start developing in order to cater to the village's growing population and need for new places to set up business and facilities.

"How clever of Kakashi to split this new district into industrial and traditionally recreational," Temari remarked, watching without focus the construction that was opposite the side of their inn. She was sure there was some noise-cancelling jutsu in play so the nearby residents wouldn't be disturbed.

Shikamaru looked at her and squeezed her hand softly. "What makes you think it was Kakashi's idea?"

The Suna princess looked up at her husband and smirked. "Right, okay, Mr. Smartypants. I apologise for not realising it was your brainchild," she bantered, but then turned a little softer. "That was brilliant of you to suggest, anata."

"So it's just clever if it were Kakashi, but it's brilliant because it's me?" Shikamaru grinned.

"Of course. You're my husband. You should be nothing short of brilliant. Else, I'd be hard pressed to desire being seen walking alongside you," she said coolly.

The shinobi chuckled and led them to sit on an empty bench that overlooked almost all of the village. "So, you mean to say you have recognized my brilliance long before? You have been seen walking beside me for more than five years now."

Temari sat down beside Shikamaru and slid her arms around his own, laying her head on his shoulder. "More or less."

"Damn, hime. Exactly how long have you had a crush on me?" he joked.

"I'll answer that if you answer it, too," she said with a smirk, knowing she was more likely to admit it than him. It was unspoken truth between them, that even though she seems to be a tsundere—or a himedere, like he so insists—she was the one who was more courageous in accepting and talking about her feelings.

Shikamaru liked to make her blush and make her embarrassed but she gets over it quickly. He, on the other hand, is a bit emotionally crippled, as if he suddenly loses his 200+ IQ rating whenever he talked about his feelings. It was an occasion so rare when he would talk about his emotions but he greatly compensates for it through doing.

"N-Nani?" he sputtered, a little flabbergasted. "That's a joke, you know."

Temari's smirk grew. "I know, but let's see if you can man up on this one."

Shikamaru scratched his temple and rolled his eyes. "Mendokusai na…"

"Oh? Nani? Did I marry an emotionally incapable man?" she jibed, hands tightening their grip on his muscular arm. "Shall I call you crybaby again? I didn't think you'd revert to it after all these years of proving to me you aren't exactly one."

"Damn, hime," he said the words again, and he thinks silently that it'll be a phrase that'll leave his mouth frequently for the rest of their lives together since his wife was a bit vicious with her words. Not that he'll have it any other way, though. "I say one thing and you say a million other things."

Harrumphing, Temari crossed her legs and sat against the bench. Her hold on his arm loosened but her hands remained touching him. "Am I sensing you're already considering returning me to Suna?"

"Tch. Anata wa mendodesu."

"Fine, fine," she crooned naughtily. "I'll pack my things first thing when we get home. Such a pain after a week's worth of preparing and transferring my belongings here in Konoha."

His eyes rolled once more and he had to marvel at how resilient they were that they weren't permanently stuck, rolled to the inside of his skull. "Does it mean that much that you know?"

Chuckling, Temari poked his side. "You're so touchy," she muttered. "I didn't say it was a requirement to answer it. I said 'I'll answer if you answer it, too.' I didn't compel you to. You compelled yourself. Which leads me to believe that you desire my answer more than I desire to know of yours. Ne, anata?"

"You were taunting me."

"Ah, don't act like I haven't done anything of the sort before, Shika. I've thrown you far worse taunts than that and you've handled them all superbly."

"This is different."

Temari looked at him curiously, unable to help pushing him just a little. "How? Because we're talking about us, something concrete, as opposed to how we were before when we vehemently blurred the line between friendship and something more so many times? Don't tell me you enjoy that better."

For a moment, he thought she was annoyed at him at his awkwardness about him and his emotions but when he turned to look at her, his wife's smirk was one of the biggest he had ever seen and her eyes spelled mischief. _Kami-sama_. This woman would be the death of him. And what a sweet death it would be.

"In the hospital after that flute bitch," he blurted out, his mouth working before his mind could. When Shikamaru realised what he had said, it was his turn to blush a deep red. His head turned to face the village once more, expecting a snide remark of some sort. What came, however, was a kiss on the cheek.

Temari laid a hand on his cheek, making him subconsciously seek more of her warmth, and turned him to face her. "That's very flattering even if I don't exactly understand why you would. I mean, we barely knew each other then. And our encounter before that involved me wanting to slice your pineapple head off with my Tessen."

Shikamaru merely shrugged, his abashed expression still very much evident. "It was a crush. It basically screamed 'fuck logic!'."

"But you couldn't have picked a better time? I was undergoing puberty then; I hardly looked my best…" she lamented with a small pout.

"W-Well…I-I…You know…" he stammered, eyes going from one side to another as he scrambled for an explanation. "You were—"

She silenced him with another soft, quick kiss. The man endured enough of her teasing for the day. She might be the cruellest kunoichi but the 'cruellest' stopped there. It wouldn't sit well with her if she were dubbed as 'cruellest wife', too. "Hush. You don't have to tell me anything if it's making you uncomfortable."

Frowning, Shikamaru shook his head. "I want you to know…" he said softly, the tips of his ears burning red.

Temari smiled warmly at him, squeezing his arm in an assuring manner. "Mm. Maybe you do, but if it's making you uncomfortable, then I won't expect it of you. Wanting a something is different from doing something when it's making you feel vulnerable. You don't have to, Shikamaru. It's fine."

There was no hint of sarcasm on her tone, nor were her words laced with teasing. It was just simply his wife wanting him to take his pace about this, given his difficulties regarding the matter. However, they were married now. He had married his first (and only) crush, the woman of his dreams both literally and figuratively. He wanted to give her everything, including everything of himself. And he knew he had to start somewhere.

"I guess…" he started though he sensed that Temari thought it was the end of their conversation when she smiled warmly at him once more. Shikamaru had other plans in his mind, though. "I guess I just really appreciated how you stayed with me when I was waiting for news on our friends' operations…"

The confession startled Temari a bit but she stayed silent, not wanting to discourage him or anything.

"You didn't have to, but you did. Your brothers already headed to the inn that was prepared for the three of you but you stayed waiting even if it were such a long wait. You even saw Oyaji scold the soul out of me but afterwards, you still treated me like a worthy shinobi. I wasn't then, not at the time, but there was no difference to you. I guess I just…subconsciously made it a goal to be worthy of your treatment of me then."

Temari smiled at the memory and looked up at him once more. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Shikamaru. I really appreciate it," she said softly.

"I should be sharing these things with you anyway; you're my wife now. And before that, we're close friends who basically matured alongside each other," he replied. "I guess I just don't want…I mean, I kind of hesitate telling you not because I don't want to, but because I don't exactly know how to. I don't want to look stupid fumbling over my words."

The blonde princess shook her head lightly. "You said it yourself, anata. I'm your wife now. Looking stupid or sounding stupid is the last worry you should have around me. I'll take you as you are without question, raw or polished, without second thoughts. Besides, you rarely ever look stupid, smartass."

Shikamaru smirked. "Tch, I can enumerate the times when you told me I did."

It was her turn to roll her eyes now. "Never mind that now. You held out your end of the rope; it's time I do mine."

Shikamaru couldn't point out why but in those few seconds of her thinking in silence regarding the question posed, he was slightly nervous of her answer. And it was ridiculous because he has her now, he's got nothing to lose anymore. Then again, she was probably right; he did desire her answer more than she desired his.

"Mm. I suppose I admitted to myself that I admired you after you saved me from that sword bitch. Funny how you saved me from getting my neck slashed when I tried to slice yours the first time we met," Temari chuckled, which made her husband follow suit.

"Well, we didn't really have the most romantic of meetings, no?"

"Heh! You were far too lazy to be romantic. I wasn't going to hold my breath," she snorted.

Shikamaru grinned as his wife settled from her chortling. "…So you didn't have a crush on me?"

Temari looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I wouldn't call it that, no. It wasn't a slow burn kind of thing like yours. Yours, it seemed, developed over the years. I guess mine did too, in a way, but I didn't know it. So that makes you correct in telling me that I was oblivious to my own feelings. It was everything all at once and fuck, was it the most overwhelming several days ever."

"What do you mean?"

Temari sorted her thoughts out the best she could. Going through the myriad of emotions was difficult enough; explaining the situation even harder. "You asked me out after the events at the Land of Silence, yeah? And it would be weeks before we saw each other once more. When I got home, I didn't immediately think of it. I had my duties to fulfil after the mission and I attended to them along with some more diplomacy work from Konoha. I guess you could say that I wasn't particularly excited on dealing with it so I worked myself to the bone until I finished everything. My brothers had to practically beg me to take a week off…"

"Now that I think about it, you seemed far too relaxed when I asked you out. And then of course there was the time at the Shinobi Alliance meeting…"

"A story for another time," she assured him. She was sure Shikamaru saw the tears that were threatening to spill from her teal eyes before she walked away from him. "Anyways…when I finally got the alone time I both needed and dreaded, I began to think about your offer and about us…from the moment we first met until then. It seemed my feelings escalated to that of the romantic sort without my conscious knowing.

"I didn't know how to deal with it that it physically pained me to even think about it because I had to wait before I saw you next and even then, we had a three-day distance. It was most difficult because I knew to myself that I'd have a confirmation of what I felt when I saw you in person. But I couldn't just leave for Konoha without valid reason.

"And it didn't help that you didn't contact me after your offer, you ass. It was awful being made to wait and not having a clue whether it was in vain or what. Perhaps you could say that it's the reason why I walked on eggshells when we looked for Naruto and Hinata's wedding gift, why I had that reaction when you told me we needed to go to the inn," Temari said, the memory making her blush fiercely. "You dug on every exposed nerve I had that day."

Shikamaru smiled a little apologetically, silently admiring how easily she could explain herself and her emotions to him. Then again, he thought that it was no different from what she does when they were growing up. She has been treating him like he was her best confidant and now that he realizes that, he feels so honoured. "No wonder…"

"Anyways, I am getting bored just sitting here and staring at the village. I am going to live the rest of my life here; I sure as hell don't want to be tired of it after just a week," she said, standing up and taking his hand. "Take me to somewhere I've never been before."

"Will do, hime," he said eagerly, squeezing her hand and leading the way.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Here's chapter three! I finally finished this. It's probably one of the more difficult pieces I had to write ever since it's a transition from point A to point B. Also, if you've noticed, I have updated the summary and I hope that it's more encompassing of the story I wished to tell. I have a clear grasp of where I want this to go now, so I hope I translated that even a little efficiently. The next chapter is where the explicit stuff happens and that one I can promise to post most likely tomorrow. I am currently suffering from Upper Respiratory Tract Infection which has rendered me without voice. And being a Speech Language Pathologist without a voice is equal to using a boat to climb up the stairs: pretty darn useless. Since I can't see patients, I'm stuck at home. What better thing to do than write another chapter? Toodles! I hope you enjoy this one. Again, thank you for the views, reviews, follows, and faves. They really, really mean more than you guys could ever know. xx

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They decided to take another dip in the onsen once they finished their dinner. Since it was beginning summer in Konoha, the night sky looked perfect with the multitude of stars that illuminated the evening. The couple did not want to miss being under it.

Shikamaru discarded his yukata on the wooden floorboards. He toed the water tentatively to test its temperature before he just went for it and submerged himself. The shinobi gave out a sigh. The water was not too hot; in fact, it was comfortably warm. "Oy, hime! The water's just right," he called out to his wife.

Temari was about to dip in the onsen earlier but had forgotten to drink the anti-pregnancy food pill that Ino and Sakura prescribed for her when they found out that she and Shikamaru had been official. Something about them wanting her to enjoy physical intimacy with her husband without having to worry about getting pregnant accidentally.

They were shinobi, after all. These matters needed to be carefully planned out.

The shinobi already in the onsen watched as his wife doffed her own yukata and settled it more delicately next to the one he casted off. Shikamaru offered his hand to help her into the deep bath and tugged her down to a spoon once more, resembling their position this morning.

He had to admit he was surprised how Temari was quick to dissolve her barriers when it came to him seeing her naked body. For a while, he had strategized ways on how to make her comfortable with baring herself to him but it turned out that he didn't need to do that after all. She never does fail to surprise him and he doubts she would cease to do so.

It wasn't that he was just after the sex part of their relationship, no. Certainly not. He didn't fall in love with her because she had a great body with a stunning face to boot. (Those were just happy bonuses!) Shikamaru just recognizes the fact that physical intimacy is crucial in any romantic relationship. It was one of the ways he could show his love for her, in a more private manner, and it was something that would be between them only.

Being the man (and he had to blame his sexist tendencies for it), he somehow realized that in this aspect, he would have to take the lead. It was simply just how he imagined it would be. It definitely wasn't a matter of age, at least not between the two of them.

And he knew Temari as they grew up. He knew that there couldn't have been moments when she gave in to the calls of the flesh. His wife took her duties to heart and does above and beyond. Temari could not have had the time to shift her attention to something as selfish as having sex. If she did, he would have known about it. No, Temari put her responsibilities to her brothers and to her village first before she tended to herself.

So naturally, this facet of their relationship would land on his hands to steer. Besides, he was sure he was more indulgent of his carnal desires than she had been. Not that he had sumptuous experiences himself, but at least he had Jiraiya's books and other adult pleasure magazines he and his male classmates passed around.

God, they really were _pigs_ weren't, they?

"You've gone awfully quiet," she remarked, hand squeezing his arm gently. "Something wrong?"

Shikamaru's thoughts vanished from the forefront of his mind and his arms circled her stomach. "Iie. Just thinking."

"Thinking…of?"

Pursing his lips, he debated whether telling her the truth was a good idea or if conjuring up a lie was the more logical thing to do. After quick deliberation, he came to the conclusion that lying to Temari is not a good habit to start if he wanted to live to see tomorrow. "Us."

His wife shifted slightly and rested her head back on her shoulder. "You always seem to think about 'us' these days. I'm not saying that it's bad. I'm just saying let me in on your thought processes. I am, after all, 50% of that 'us'."

"Okay. I'm thinking about us being intimate tonight. Physically."

The reaction was almost instantaneous. The solemnity of the night was disturbed by her melodious laughing. Shikamaru loosened his grip around her frame as she shook from her amusement. "It really doesn't take a genius like you to notice that it's your motive for bringing us here, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru involuntarily released a breath that he didn't know he was holding. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

"Hai," Temari said with a nod, taking his hand in both of hers and squeezing it gently. "Though, I'm still a bit nervous about it. You understand, right?"

He does. "Of course. I just…I want this to be special between us. What happened last week…I know I didn't do it correctly so I really want to make up for it."

"What happened last week was forgivable, anata. We were both tired from the ceremony. It didn't help that there was a sandstorm while we wrapped up the reception party. And I was too tense thinking about losing my virginity, which was why I was a bit more demanding than usual," she admitted, a blush on her cheeks present. "Also, I felt entirely stupid that I don't know the first thing about sex."

His lips pouted and Shikamaru huffed. "Which makes me feel guilty because I do and I should have done it right despite the circumstances. Guess I was nervous."

Temari turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "Something I should know about?"

"What?"

"You _know_ about sex," she stated. Stated, not asked.

Shikamaru raised a brow. "Any man my age would, hime. And to settle your worries before they surface: no, I haven't had sex before."

Temari matched his expression and raised a blonde brow herself. "So how would you know about it?"

"I like to keep myself educated," he shrugged.

There was a mixture of a grimace and a wince on his wife's face and he wanted to laugh at it but he knew it wouldn't be wise to do so.

"Right, okay. Let's leave it at that. I'm not going to ask about your…methods," she said rolling her eyes.

The shinobi grinned lopsidedly and waggled his eyebrows. "They were very effective methods. This morning was a proof to that, yeah?"

Temari grumbled a bit despite the intense blush on her cheeks. "You're so uncouth, Nara."

"You love me, Nara."

"And sometimes I wonder why," she bellyached, feigning hopelessness.

Shikamaru snorted and then retaliated by pressing his large hand on the side of her face and pushing it into the water. The man laughed as his wife struggled against his grasp but his amusement was short-lived when her hand managed to grab his hair.

Temari pulled her husband's head into the water as well as she resurfaced, almost breathless. What she didn't expect was the tackle from her side and she was down in the water once more. It wasn't much of a struggle since she was far stronger than Shikamaru but it was a bit difficult to move since she wasn't that used to expending physical energy whilst in water.

The two of them alternated going on top of each other until almost half of the onsen's water was displaced outside, rendering the surrounding wooden floorboards and their yukata wet. Temari grunted as she pinned her husband on her back before her lips smirked in victory.

"Never start a war I can easily win, Nara."

"Heh! We'll see about that, Nara," he bantered before he threw her a grin of mischief. "Kageshibari no Jutsu."

The look of pure annoyance dominated his wife's features and he revelled in the fact that he had thought several steps ahead of her once again. It was a rare feat these days especially when they were so in synch now. Shikamaru relaxed and propped himself on his elbows as he let his shadows lift her up from his body. The smirk stayed in its place on his lips.

"Kono yaro! Release me," she huffed, wanting to cross her arms but of course, she could not.

Shikamaru sighed in relief to taunt her and clicked his tongue. "Calling me that doesn't really want to make me do as you say, hime."

Temari was about to retort when she realised he wasn't quite done in lifting her up. "O-Oi, oi. Put me down, baka. Any more of this and people will see me!"

"Oh, relax. People will think it's just the light playing tricks with them or whatever."

"Nara Shikamaru!"

"Hai, Nara Temari?" he smoothly asked, standing up from the onsen and unnecessarily shaking off the water droplets on his arms. With his jutsu still activated, he walked towards their room and let his shadow carry his wife. Shikamaru conjured another shadow thread to slide the door closed before his shadows carefully set Temari down on the bed.

When he dispelled his jutsu, Temari's eyes narrowed at the man who was above him and she reached her hand out, set on pinching his nose. It was a habit that she had developed after they officially went out, reserved for occasions like this when he was being extremely annoying.

"You are so insufferable sometimes," she said as she did so, twisting his nose a little to prove her point.

Shikamaru threw her a cocky grin. "I know you wouldn't have me any other way, hime."

Her eyes rolled skyward and she huffed. "Kami-sama help me."

The Nara patriarch snorted and then leaned down to press a tender kiss on her lips, which he was happy that she returned as eagerly. "You ready now?"

It took her a few moments before she realised what he had asked her just now and when she did, Temari's cheeks burned red. Her lips quivered and her eyes looked up at him wildly as if an animal on high alert. "Th-that's…I…"

Shikamaru took his hand and brushed it through her damp hair then placed an assuring kiss on her forehead. "Do you want to talk about it first? I can make us some tea."

Temari found herself agreeing even if she didn't really know what to expect of it. She bunched up the duvet in her hands and covered herself with it, sighing in relaxation at the comfort the heavy fabric offered. Watching as Shikamaru disappeared to the dining area, she bit her lip as she got lost in her thoughts.

Exactly what would they even talk about? The blonde kunoichi wracked her brain for answers but she couldn't find any. Then again, talking about it deemed a better option than diving into it headfirst again without ample strategy. And she knew that the both of them fed on strategy like a vice. For a moment, she thought of the prospect as ridiculous but it was how she and her husband were wired, and as they say, old habits die hard.

In the mere minutes that they were separated by a wall, Temari pulled her knees towards her chest and hugged them, resting her chin on her kneecaps. She figured that any confusion and question she has in her head would be resolved by hers and Shikamaru's conversation so she would save the inquiry for later. And as if on cue, her husband reappeared with a tray that carried the pot and the cups for them both.

"Ujicha was all they had for free. I hope you don't mind, _hime,_ " Shikamaru said, knowing her strong preference for Gyokuro, ever the princess.

Temari took the offered cup with a click of her tongue. "Damare. I'm not that fancy."

"Try saying that again and sound a little more convincing this time," Shikamaru jibed, taking a sip of his drink.

Temari waved her hand dismissively. "That's not what we're here to talk about."

Her husband hid a smirk behind his cup. "Well, then. How do you wish to get started?"

"To be honest, I am not entirely sure," Temari said, staring at the cup in her hands. "Is this something couples really talk about? Don't you just…you know…wait for things to happen on their own?"

He was about to laugh at what she had said but he bit it back, reassessing the situation. Her words were too serious and her concerns were anything but farce. He thought about it for a while and nodded. "I think it depends on the couple. I guess most let it happen and then just talk afterwards. However, knowing us, this is something _we_ need to talk about. We're not like any other couple."

Sighing, she sat back and finished her tea. In her mind, she thought it'd be easier if Shikamaru would take the initiative to start things like this morning but she knew he wouldn't want that for them. If the aftermath of their wedding night was any indication, her husband wants their second time perfect down to a tee. _If_ that was even possible…

Shikamaru took the empty cups to the table and sat himself down next to his wife. He wanted to take her hand in his but it would be their first time talking about physical intimacy into intricate details and he didn't want to add pressure on either of them by getting ahead of their comfort. And the fact that Temari hid herself under the covers speaks volumes. "Maybe we can start by telling me what you know about sex."

Temari bit her cheek for a moment as she thought. She didn't want to sound so vulgar, but she surmised she needed to let go of their inhibitions now to facilitate the openness of their communication. Communication was key in any situation involving another person, after all. Besides, they already had a first-hand experience of the fruits of inefficient communication just going by their first hot springs experience.

"I know that it's essential to create a child," she said in a matter-of-fact tone before her teal eyes blinked up to him. "…and that it should be pleasurable for both parties involved in the act secondary to the adrenaline rush that doing it brings."

"Is that it?" he asked gently, wishing to probe more.

She pursed her lips for a moment before speaking once more. "Well, now I know that we need to get ourselves in the mood first…like a warm up…in order for us to reach the climax. In addition, we have these so-called pleasure zones that, when stimulated, can aid in achieving said climax. What I read was that these pleasure zones are unique to each person and it takes several times of having sex to discover all of them."

Shikamaru nodded and digested the information she shared, finding it actually easy to approach the matter at hand in an analytical way. The shinobi figures that picking each other's brain is what made them close in the first place. Well, that and actually finding interesting pieces of ideas when the brain-picking happened.

"Given such, what do you think we did wrong when we did it the first time?" Shikamaru asked softly.

The kunoichi thought back to that fateful night in Suna after they had retreated to the Kazekage mansion. A sandstorm cut their clean-up of the reception party, which prompted them to seek refuge indoors. It wasn't the first time Temari had invited Shikamaru to her room but it was the first time that they entered it as husband and wife.

She had been nervous then but tried hard not to let it show. They were the second of the couples in their wide circle of friendship to get married so she didn't know how a wedding night was supposed to go. Temari was sure as hell that she wasn't going to ask Hinata about it. She would die of embarrassment before even mustering the courage to ask.

Once they were alone behind closed doors, she took Shikamaru's hand and led him to the bed just to get it over with even without the knowledge of the acts prior to them becoming one. Apparently, her dragging him to her bed turned him on and he couldn't resist undressing them both as quickly as he could. But, her nerves got the better of her.

Temari wasn't used to being on the spotlight, alone and clueless of what happens next, so she tore Shikamaru (who was doing a very meticulous job of exploring every inch of her skin with his hands and his mouth) away from her body and demanded he 'get right into it'.

"I was extremely nervous so I stopped you from discovering my pleasure zones," she said, fiddling with her fingers. "Which rendered me in a more panicked state rather than aroused."

The shinobi sighed and frowned at the memory. "And I didn't contradict you, which was my first mistake. I didn't check if you were aroused enough, second mistake. And I just…went right in."

Temari winced and involuntarily shut her legs as the memory of the sensation came flooding back to her. She had been hit, punched, slashed, kicked during battles, even went through the ordeal of dislocating several joints but there was just no pain comparable to the pain of losing her virginity. It was piercing, white-hot pain that scattered from her core to her skin. It didn't help that she felt the effects of it the whole day after when they had to get a lot of stuff ready for moving to Konoha.

Shikamaru had already apologised for what happened and she had forgiven him for it. It was both their fault, they decided. For all their strategic genius and almost impenetrable logic, they sure have the tendency to rush and dive headfirst when it comes to matters involving their relationship.

To his surprise, she was the one who continued the conversation after a bit of a weighty pause. Sometimes, her mind works a little quicker than his especially if it is occupied by a matter she has spent copious amounts of time thinking about.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked, looking up at him again.

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head tentatively. "I have a couple of things in mind but I don't know if you'd be willing to try them. Especially since they all came from the books Jiraiya-sama had written."

This time, Temari couldn't hide her puzzlement before realisation dawned on her. "Don't tell me you educated yourself with Jiraiya-sama's books…?"

"And then some…" he added with a bit of a sheepish grin.

He watched his wife as she opened and closed her mouth a few times before gathering her thoughts to speak again. "Seeing as we seem to be at a standstill, let's hear them. I can't denounce the popularity of his books even in the Wind Country so I think his ideas are actually helpful. Just a little weird that he's the same Jiraiya of the Densetsu no Sannin."

Grinning, Shikamaru inched closer to Temari, his excitement obvious. "Okay, so in one of the chapters of Icha Icha Tactics—"

"Wow, can it get any more literal?"

He rolled his eyes dramatically before continuing. "As I was saying…one of the chapters focused on first-time sex and the couple had a sort-of game."

"A game?"

Nodding, Shikamaru cleared his throat. "Something like that. You see, they had a similar situation with us so the guy had the woman lie down. And he touched her here and there, trying to figure out her pleasure zones. She only needed to say 'Yes, No, More'. Then they switched."

The Suna princess gave the suggestion a bit of a play in her head before she hummed. "I suppose those books are good for something. That could be worth a try. Anything else?"

Shikamaru paused first before he gave her an aswer. "Well, actually, that's the tamest tactic of all listed. And I don't want us to push boundaries if we aren't comfortable with our normal yet."

"I must be going crazy to think that there are actual merits to reading the damned books," Temari grumbled, crossing her arms and sighing.

Chuckling, he gently traced her cheek with the back of his fingers. "We can read them together if you like. You'll see the chapter where I got the idea for this morning."

A blush turned her cheeks red as her mind brought back their little romp in the water after breakfast. She cannot deny that she felt extremely pleasured by it. If their future exploits would be just as good or better, then she wouldn't question herself for being excited at the prospect. Temari turned to her husband with a serious look on her face. She took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"I think I'm ready."

A small smile graced his lips before he leaned in and pressed a chaste but soft kiss on her own. Shikamaru pressed his forehead to hers and let the tips of their noses touch. "Thank you for trusting me."

"Thank you for being trustworthy."

He smiled at her again before he pulled away. "Shall I dim the lights for us?"

"If you would be so kind..."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Y'all! Gods, I am so sorry about this! The delay for this chapter was as unbearable for me as it was for you, I can assure you. Blame my perfectionist tendencies, please. It rears its heads at the ugliest of times. I thank you guys for your continued support, despite the troublesome delay for this chapter. Life got in the way, as well. Also, the RoyAi shipper in me was born anew and I got busy with that. Soon, though, I will be drafting the plot of a new ShikaTema fic, the one focusing on their courtship and eventual marriage, as some of you have asked. Again, thank you for the views, the reviews, the favs, and the follows. You guys make my day! On to the chapter we've all been waiting for... *wink, wink

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The singular light that remained open was tucked near the corner farthest from their bed. It bled a warm orange but not too bright that one could not appreciate the darkness. Everything was calm and serene around her, save for the gentle rustling of the leaves that swayed with the warm summer breeze.

Her insides, however, were enslaved by the tension that seemed to be building up in her. Temari's mind wanted nothing more but to enjoy and just give in to what is to come, but the irrational part of it was still a little skittish. After all, with her sharp with and sarcasm, she was in danger of saying something that could ruin the mood that they had set.

"I can almost feel you thinking," she heard Shikamaru say gently as he knelt on one knee on the foot of the bed. Her eyes gradually made out the muscular silhouette before her as they adjusted to the darkness.

A blush crept to her cheeks as Temari felt the bed dip here and there as Shikamaru carefully made his way to her side. "Y-Yeah. I don't know how to turn my mind off."

"That's my job, hime," he whispered, laying a hand on her cheek. "May I join you underneath the covers?"

Her hand found its way on the one resting against her face and the kunoichi squeezed gently. "I think I would like that."

Shikamaru's lips tugged at the corners and he gradually introduced himself to the comfortable bubble that his wife had been wrapped up in for the past half hour or so. He sighed gently as he felt the temperature rise when their individual body heat merged. The shinobi tugged the rest of the wide covers over their head so that they were fully under its confines.

His hand found hers in an instant. "Is this okay?"

She took a few steadying breaths, gulping down her hesitance for the last and final time. "Yes. My stomach feels funny but it's most definitely not bad."

Chuckling softly, his large hand found her face once more. Shikamaru couldn't muster up a verbal reply to that so he just leaned in and kissed her lips softly. He let their contact be firm yet tender, allowing their connection to convey the feelings he had for her without the use of words.

It did not take long for her to respond in kind and the shinobi soon felt his wife reciprocating the act with the same level of affection. The sentimentality of the moment made his chest warmer than it already was and the familiar pinch made itself known once more. While his mind raged about what was currently happening, the emotional part that it entailed was almost as overwhelming.

When their contact broke, Temari wanted to escape from the confines of the duvet, which was now getting heavier as it covered them longer. The heat that emanated from their bodies gave the atmosphere underneath the thick cloth a bit of a stuffy quality. Reaching a hand to her right, she tugged on the layers to reveal their nakedness to the cool air of the room once more. The kunoichi shivered slightly, unconsciously moving closer towards her husband.

"What happened to doing it under the covers?" he asked softly, tone void of amusement or mocking. Shikamaru was merely asking genuinely.

"Bad idea, it seemed," she replied. Temari reached out once more and set her hands on either side of his face before she brought them close once more. "Forgive me; I can't seem to get enough of you."

Shikamaru chuckled against her lips. Everything was going smoother than it did the last time, now that they chose to be candid with each other. "It's not entirely a bad thing, is it, hime?"

Instead of honouring him with a reply, she wound her arms around his neck and kissed him once more, this time a little more fiercely. Their tongues met at the centre for dominance but she felt him gave passage first, so she took the chance to explore his mouth like she had done in the past. It was the only thing she was confident at the moment so she figured she wanted a taste of control before relinquishing it to him completely.

Temari was thankful he understood that part of her.

As her mouth got busy acquainting itself with his, his hands began to set to work. One moved from casually framing her head to caressing her neck, thumb brushing slightly at the spot behind her ear. Shikamaru swallowed a small whimper when she reacted from the touch. His hand didn't stay long as it opted downwards to the valley between her breasts.

With a hand so close to one of her sensitive areas, Temari felt her breath hitch against his lips and she broke their contact. She was far too distracted by the anticipation and far too caught in it that the kunoichi found it a little difficult to breathe. Her head angled downwards and her gaze fell upon his hand as it crept to one of her mounds.

Shikamaru claimed one tentatively as if he were only beginning to familiarise himself with it. His hand went to fondle her flesh gently, moving it in ways he had discovered earlier that she liked. The Nara male licked his lips at the feel of her feverish skin against his palm and he couldn't stop himself from distancing from her just right so he could claim both of her breasts.

Her vision blurred at the sudden manoeuvre. The cool air meeting more of her heated skin gave her a spine-tingling chill while his large hands covering her breasts sent warm flickers to her abdomen. Temari's mouth fell open at the conflicting sensation to let out a mewl. She was sure her face tinged with a deep blush as she heard herself react to his ministrations.

Said mewl soon turned into a string of whimpers when Shikamaru drove her flesh into a rhythmless pattern. Her breath turned ragged when his fingers pressed on her nipples, her stomach lurching a little not long after. The kunoichi sucked in a sharp breath when he dove to seize her neck with his mouth, making her head turn to the side.

Temari groaned as his lips worked in time with his hands, three different sensations making her close her eyes. "No…fair. I wanted to…wanted to w-watch."

Shikamaru took a moment to reply. "Watch later. Just feel for now."

His lips travelled across the expanse of her neck but settled a little on her collarbone to nip and tug on her skin. He heard her whimper at his action but he soothed it down with a few swipes of his tongue. Shikamaru peppered her neck with kisses before his lips found that spot behind her once more.

"Anata…" she keened, hands going to brace herself on his strong arms, as she felt his breath tickle her spot. Temari groaned once his soft lips slithered on her sensitive patch of skin. The heat forming on her abdomen was steadily making itself known and her legs opened involuntarily, as if it were a silent invite.

Every time he suckled his lips or swiped his tongue over the back of her ear, she breathed out a tiny moan with each exhale. Soon, her head was swirling and her lungs were heaving. Temari was beginning to find it difficult to breathe but she couldn't bring it in her to stop him when she was craving for more.

As lovely as it was making her lose her mind through this, Shikamaru tore himself from her and suppressed a chuckle when she grumbled in annoyance. He briefly kissed the pout on her lips away before he looked straight to her eyes.

"Still trust me?" he asked softly.

"You haven't given me reason to stop," she murmured back to him, breathless.

The shinobi smiled at his wife, capturing her lips in a heated kiss. He allowed her to gain entrance to his mouth once more before he ceased their contact and sought her gaze once more. "If you don't like anything I am about to do, just let me know. I don't care how."

Temari could only nod.

She looked extremely beautiful with her hair mussed up against the pillows, eyes rounder than they normally were, pupils enlarged following the heightened levels of oxytocin, lips reddened and a little swollen. Shikamaru felt the need to let her know.

"Temari, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting," he whispered seriously.

Her lips quivered at his words, knowing very well that it takes a lot for him to casually express his emotions so. Temari closed her eyes to prevent the tears from forming as she didn't exactly think that crying right then and there would help with the mood.

Instead, she reached up and caressed his cheek. The love she has for the man before her was tremendous; it constantly gives her shivers whenever she thinks about it. "I am all yours, Shikamaru."

A silent beat passed between the two of them and Shikamaru's expressions softened only briefly before he laid his hand against the back of the one she has on his cheek. He kissed her open palm hungrily, trailing smooches on her arm up to her chest. There were no words needed to be said now, only actions that needed to be done.

Shikamaru seized Temari's wrists with each hand and brought them together at the top of her head. His mouth treaded a little lower, ready to start again what he did during their wedding night. This time, however, he was committed to doing it properly. The shinobi prepared for this moment as much as he could, and he would kick himself so hard if he doesn't do it right this time around.

The kunoichi could only watch as he got busy once more. The anticipation in her chest grew alongside the need she has for him, which she now recognizes. In the dark, she could make out his mop of silky black hair moving about as he reacquainted his lips with her chest. Her line of thought was broken when his mouth got to focus on one of her breasts while a hand went to the other.

Her chest rose up and down as she watched his tongue dart out from the confines of his mouth and land on her perked-up nipple. Temari bit her lip once the wet, hot, heated muscle on her bud. Then she felt, more than she saw, it swirl against her flesh once, twice, before the circling turned into a furious pattern.

Humming sharply at almost every swipe of his tongue, she let herself close her eyes and indulge in the sensation he was feeding her. It was new, it was foreign, but it was most certainly welcome. Apparently, his mouth had other talents rather than voicing out strategies and million-ryo ideas. And by Kami-sama, she was grateful for it.

Another thing she was grateful for was his attention to detail and it seemed that it traversed even the sexual part of his personality that he didn't leave either of her breasts dissatisfied. By the end of his devious licking, she was whimpering at his mercy, stomach quivering with a level of need she had not experienced feeling before. Said need was making her much more vocal than usual.

"Touch me," she crooned, breathless once more, knee nudging his side. "Touch me there, Shika. Please make me feel good."

Shikamaru smirked against the gorge between her delicious mounds of flesh, delivering a kiss to each one before he looked to her. "I have got an even better thing coming."

Her brows perked in curiosity before the motion of his lips drew her out of her thoughts once more. They left electric shocks and sparks of fire wherever they touched and once they got to the stretch of skin underneath her navel, she was all the more trembling with desire.

The shinobi situated himself in between her legs. His hands settled on her knees to part her long, beautiful limbs a little more to reveal her womanhood. The sight of it even in the dark was mesmerizing and he was silent for a few moments, just thoroughly enthralled by the sight. The soft light that remained open in their room made her apex glisten slightly. When her scent reached his nose, his head swam in an ecstatic high that he knows he will never get enough of.

The woman in question let him do as he pleased and she remained watching as he watched her. A sheepish blush crawled to her cheeks and she felt her face at its warmest, rivalling the heat of her centre. Temari wanted to cover herself but she found herself unmoving. "Sh-Shika…don't stare too much. It…It's a little embarrassing…"

Shikamaru's eyes instantly connected with hers and they held an expression of disbelief in them. "Embarrassing? Why are you embarrassed by such beauty you hold? This is anything but, Temari."

She closed her eyes and felt her heart thump hard against its confines. The kunoichi swallowed down the dread of being watched so closely by her husband but she chose to believe his words. After all, for Shikamaru to sound suddenly poetic, there must be an incredible force making him do so. Maybe that force really **_is_** her.

"Look at me," he urged in a whisper, voice gruffer than its usual quality.

Teal eyes popped open and found her husband in between her legs once more. She has got to admit, it was a sight she was beginning to adore.

"I want you to try and enjoy this, okay? I know you're still a little nervous but just allow your body to feel. Let your mind not think so much," he whispered. "Keep your eyes on me if it makes you feel better."

She didn't need to be told to watch him nestling between her legs.

Shikamaru kissed the back of her knee gently while a hand massaged the same spot on the opposite leg. His mouth appreciated the smoothness of her skin and he let her know of that with the praise his lips could do without saying anything.

The movement of his mouth and his hands were in synch as they inched closer and closer to her centre, wanting to relax her before he climbed another level of intimacy. As he neared her apex, her womanly scent became stronger that it almost distracted him from what he was doing.

He could liken it to sake as it surely makes his head dance by just one whiff. However, he could also identify a tangy, yet salty quality that reminds him of what it's like when the forest breeze meets the sharp wind of the desert. In short, she smelled perfect.

With both of his hands laying on the joint between her torso and lower limbs, his thumbs parted her opening a little more. The moist that emanated from her womanhood almost put him in a drunken state but he had a mission to fulfil that night. It was best he got on to it. And so, he blew warm air on her centre.

Instantly, it sent a shiver up to her spine, a shock a little more potent than before that her hands almost automatically clutched the bed covers under her. This was his idea of something better? Temari was a little sceptical of it since she remembers how he made her feel good with her fingers this morning. Then again, he pulled the reins now so if this was his idea of preparing her for lovemaking, so be it.

Her eyes trained on his mouth as it let out his tongue once more. However, she felt it a little overwhelming to watch him so she laid comfortably on her back and just _feel_ , like he said. Without warning, she felt his tongue swipe at her entrance. Her knees buckled slightly and she moaned.

The shinobi hummed at her taste, finding it very identical to her smell. He dove in once more and swiped his tongue on her slit as it permitted more pre-cum to leak. Shikamaru made no hesitation to clean her up and swallow her juices dutifully. Each sweep of his long tongue elicited either a moan or a whimper, and he was proud of himself for it. But he was not yet done, not even close. He was only getting started.

"Shika!" her wail filled their room as his tongue finally touched her clit. Her hips bucked into his face, unknowingly giving him more room to pleasure her. The mere contact sent her toes to curl against the mattress, the grasp of her hands tightening on the sheets.

His ears enjoyed the symphony of her cries. His tongue danced on her bundle of nerves, the tip of it rubbing her clitoral hood at a bearable pace. He flicked the nub to the left, running his oral muscle in circles like the way his fingers did this morning. Shikamaru felt his member harden and throb at her moans, but he paid no mind. Right now, Temari and her needs are of more importance.

"Ah!" she cried out, eyes clenching closed while her mouth remained open. Temari tried but she just couldn't hold back her pleasure from being made known. It didn't help that he was pushing her further the more she moaned. "Ah, ah! _Anata_!"

Shikamaru had a window to smirk against his wife's pussy, his ego definitely stroked by her pleasured crying. The male Nara found it extremely gratifying pleasuring his wife that he committed right at that moment to go above and beyond. Eventually, his tongue slowed its pace, giving her a moment to breathe before his lips claimed her clit.

"Fuck, Shikamaru!" she moaned, the action making the whole of her body jolt. Temari felt his lips around her most sensitive spot as they began to suckle. Her mind was hazy and she was sure she was going to pass out if it continues. Her moans escalated in pitch and her wails turned a little louder.

He focused on a steady pattern of suctioning her clit into his mouth before he decided he was going to outdo himself. So, he suckled then made her clit meet his tongue for a quick swipe before he released.

"Oh…Ngh, Shika, ah!" Her legs trembled now and they wrapped around his head. Her hips struggled to stay still on the bed and it was far too _troublesome_ to keep them that way so she just submitted to whatever urge her body desired. Temari began to thrash on the mattress as she climbed her climax. Her back arched and relaxed, lungs heaving as her string of moans continued to flow from her mouth. Her vision became hazy as the heat in her abdomen tightened its coil. "Kimochi, Shika! _K-Kimochi_!"

A few more pulls on her clit and Temari was gone. The violence of her orgasm shocked even he and he tried to lay his arm on her waist to keep her from edging too close to the side of the bed. A thick, searing liquid shot to his chest and it took a moment to realise what it was. Once he did though, he placed his mouth on her hole and began to drink, placing his thumb on her nub.

"M-matte!" she choked out as she felt that he was not stopping. Her heels dug into his muscular back, unsure if she wanted him to continue or wished for him to stop. Even she was conflicted now. But, she didn't have the time to think as another wave of pleasure overcame her and she arched her back as he coaxed aother orgasm from her. "T-too much, anata…!"

With the words from her mouth, he eventually ceased his movements and took one last swipe of her juices on her entrance. Shikamaru hummed at the taste once more, licking his lips before kissing both of her thighs sweetly. He brought himself to face her with a loving smile upon his lips. "You are so, so beautiful, hime."

Whether she permitted it or not, the tears now formed in the corner of Temari's eyes as she smiled up at her beloved genius. She let herself be kissed all over her face as she tried so very hard to regain her breathing. The Suna princess felt the rough pad of his thumbs dry her eyes.

"I'd kiss you back or even hold you but I can't move so well," she whispered, only feeling now how scratchy her throat was.

Shikamaru chuckled and cupped her cheek, kissing her lips affectionately. "Not to worry, hime. I've got you."

"Then, take me."

The shinobi nodded and smiled against her face. He whispered his words of affection to her ear before he carefully grabbed his manhood and stroked it in instinct. Shikamaru guided the tip of his cock to her entrance but paused just as their sensitive skins touched. "If you—"

"I know, anata," she cut him off, assuring softly him once more.

Shikamaru hoped he did not make his nervousness shown. This was the critical point in their evening, and while he knew that they will try again until things right themselves, he rather not set his wife up for another disappointment…especially not after a good track record thus far. Inching closer to her, his eyes trained on her face to watch for any and all reaction as he finally slid himself inside her.

Halfway through, Temari winced. The pressure, at first, was bearable but his girth was getting a little harder to accommodate as he went on. She placed a hand on his arm, which made him pause, and she breathed in and out softly to calm herself. It wasn't as bad as the first time but the discomfort was there for a while.

"Do I need to—?"

"No, just…stay still," she managed to choke out. The Suna princess took almost a minute to relax herself and once she did, Temari urged her husband to continue. Her brows were knotted and her lips were curled slightly once he was fully inside her, but the pain was slowly ebbing away. A few more breaths taken and she nodded once.

Shikamaru pulled himself almost completely out before he carefully slid back in to the hilt. His teeth gritted at the clench of her walls, tight and hot. Her warmth that wrapped around his member was too intoxicating to ignore but he knew he needed to be patient at the moment. The shinobi repeated the action a few more times before Temari's sharp gasps turned into low, throaty moans.

When the pain finally turned into pleasure, the blonde ambassadress allowed herself to take whatever slips of pleasure she could at their oneness. It may have taken quite a bit for them to connect this way but she was more than happy that they finally did. Temari's eyes hooded as he thrusted into her once more, this time a little rushed and forceful. The kunoichi groaned indulgently in return.

It was a different kind of pleasure from earlier or from this morning. The two previous acts he did for her were more carnal and less emotional, but this intimate connection was perfectly balanced that it made her mind reel, her heart swell, and her body ache for more of him. Once Shikamaru found a rhythm for them both, her eyes rolled back and her mouth slackened.

"Ungh, ungh…ah!" Her hips tried to roll with his to create more friction in between them. Sex wasn't a particularly difficult thing to do once one listens to their body, she had learned. Right now, it was screaming for more stimulation so she grabbed her husband's wrists and place his hands on her breasts.

With automaticity, he fondled them with ease as he moved in and out of her cavern. Shikamaru felt a growl rise from his chest so he brought their lips together once more. The shinobi swallowed a few more of his wife's moans before he paused and changed the angle of their oneness to allow deeper penetration.

Temari had to break away from his lips. The new position was not elaborate, but it was enough to send her into a frenzy. It was like he was making every sketch of her inside known then melts it away with the heat he generates with her. Her cries became a little more helpless and she struggled to find purchase on the sheets underneath her. Her back arched and the familiar coil on her abdomen tightened once more.

Shikamaru was not too far from chasing his own pleasure. The base of his spine seared with a white-hot sensation that might have scalded him if he tried to hold it back any longer. So, he dipped his hands in between them and sought her clit, fingers pinching it before he thumbed her erratically, desperately.

Her heels dug at the mattress of the bed as the stimulation became too much for her to bear. The kunoichi wanted to get away but she found herself being drawn to the act like a firefly heavily attracted to light. Temari climbed the peaks of her pleasure and willingly let herself tip over the edge with a piercing scream of his name that bounced off the walls of their room.

God forbid anyone heard her but honestly, she was far too pleasured to care. The crash of her orgasm sent her almost flying and falling at the same time, the liquid that threatened to gush from her making her walls feel a little fuller than she already does. Temari brought her husband down to her level and crashed her lips to his.

When her orgasm erupted, it almost washed him out of her sheath. The pressure of her fluids gripped his member anew and he erupted inside her. A low, animalistic growl escaped from him and reverberated in between their touching mouths. Shikamaru broke away slightly to watch her when she started to convulse once more.

By the gods above, his wife was beautiful. The way her eyes clenched, her teeth gritted, and her nose flared when she was overcome with her carnal pleasure was a sight he was starting to get addicted seeing. Place those on top of the never-ending moans that drift from her mouth in adulation to their intimacy…she was a goddess that walked and ruled his world.

When a smaller tinier climax gushed from her centre, Temari found herself pushed to the limit that she was already sobbing, albeit pleasurably. A hand lazily pushed on her husband's strong abdomen and she shivered when he pulled out his cock. Her arms languidly wound into his neck, not wanting to create big movements as she still felt that her skin was on fire from earlier.

Shikamaru kissed Temari deeply, blindly feeling for the duvet that they had discarded earlier. He placed them underneath the comfortable sheet, rolling him and his wife so that they were laying on their side. He tugged Temari closer to his body, arms not leaving her frame.

"I love you," he said into the crown of her head. "I love you, Temari."

The woman nuzzled into her husband's muscled chest and sighed in content. She wished she could find the strength to whisper the words back to him. For now, she settled on kissing the spot where she knew his heart was beating. ( _And she was thankful that it was._ ) With little space for air, the shortness of her breath took a while to go away.

However, once she had regained full control of her breathing, Temari laughed lazily.

The Nara clan head looked towards his wife curiously before he hummed and asked his question. "What's funny?"

"Two things actually..."

"And they are?"

"Well one: we totally forgot about the game…"

At that, Shikamaru chuckled. "So we did…and the other one?"

"I, a full-grown woman, labelled as the Cruelest Kunoichi, wet the bed. Several times, might I add."

He could only shake his head and join her in her laughter.

* * *

 **A/N:** I have an idea in mind for an epilogue. This time, it's Temari who _recompenses_. If ya kno whut ah mean *wink, wink


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Here it is! The final chapter of Recompense!

* * *

"Tadaima," Shikamaru whispered to the seemingly empty Nara manor. The sun was just beginning to set and he had already expected Temari to run late these days since she was so hellbent on finishing whatever she could before they started to arrange the Chuunin exams.

The shinobi glanced at the clock that depicted 16.45 in the afternoon. Humming softly, he took off his shinobi sandals and flak jacket, putting them in their rightful places. He let a huge sigh of relief when he took off the ties of his long hair. Shikamaru ran a hand down his face and jogged upstairs to nap whilst waiting for his wife. Naps were always a good idea.

As soon as he opened the door to his and Temari's bedroom, the sight that greeted him was not the one he was expecting.

Laying at the centre of their mattress was his wife who was wearing her yukata loosely, a leg exposed and propped up. Her eyes were closed, yet he knew that she was not at all sleeping. Her hair was spread out on their pillow, looking like a gently flowing golden stream.

Shikamaru felt his mouth water just at the sight of it.

For a few minutes, he was stunned into place before her teal eyes opened and met his gaze. The smile that curved her lips sent a piercing shot to his chest that made him leap into motion. He crossed the room in three long strides, kneeling down on the bed and just blinking down to his wife. Shikamaru watched as she languorously raised her hand to cup his face.

"Okaerinasai, danna-sama," she crooned sweetly, sinfully.

One flick of her hand that held the small fan and he was swept off his feet. The shinobi collided with a soft thud against their bed, his eyes struggling to comprehend her movements as she suddenly rolled on top of him. "Ta-Tadaima…"

From where he laid, he could see the curves of her supple body. Her yukata was barely hanging on her shoulders, leaving little to his creative imagination. Shikamaru gulped a little as Temari pressed herself against him. A groan escaped his lips when she ground her hips against his.

His face sought the warmth her hand offered. He couldn't move, or rather, he didn't wish to move. There was something captivating about the mood of his wife that he merely wished to spectate. His mind raced, giving him more than just a handful of possibilities that the next few minutes promised.

"What—"

"Hush," she interrupted his question, placing a slender against his lips. "Just remain there and relax. This time, it's my turn to make you feel good."

He could only nod before her lips touched his. It was a feather-light contact, fleeting but full of emotion and enough to make blood rush to places that would depict his arousal. The hokage-advisor-in-training could see how much amusement it brought his wife when she took notice of the blush on his cheeks and the poke between her legs.

Suddenly, he was captured by the ferocity of the next kiss, almost missing the fact that her hands had begun to slip underneath his turtleneck to explore the expanse of his abdomen. Temari tugged his shirt and he allowed his back to arch to ease the fabric off of his torso. It was soon over his head and discarded to the floor.

Excitement bubbled within him, as it seemed that their little holiday had opened the long-concealed sexual hunger his wife possessed. And by the gods, he couldn't bring it in himself to complain. Not that he wanted to.

Her lips settled on his again and he allowed the entry of her tongue to delve into his mouth. Shikamaru moaned softly as his mouth fell enslaved by her meticulous oral muscle. His hands flew to her waist, digging his fingers slightly on her yukata.

Soon, her mouth left his and Temari shifted her attention to his neck, taking no time to nibble on his collarbone. He hissed slightly when she bit into his skin then groaned as he felt her tongue soothe the assaulted area. Shikamaru felt his hands empty, though, so he slid them to her shoulders to push off her own clothing away.

A multitude of kisses peppered his chest all over and his stomach trembled at each one of them. They felt like tiny flames trying to set his being on fire and the shinobi could tell that it was a sensation that he will never get tired of. As soon as her sinful mouth closed upon his darkened nipple, a soft growl escaped his lips.

It seemed to spur his wife on and he could only continue to make animalistic sounds as she continued her ministrations, making sure to keep the other one stimulated with her fingers before she switched. Temari then kissed her way down to his muscled abdomen, nibbling gently on one of his rock-hard mounds as her hands set to pull down his trousers and boxers.

With talented motions of her feet, there was not a thread that separated them now and he could breathe a little easier now that his member was free from its restrictive confines. Shikamaru's eyes have become hooded as her mouth travelled lower and lower until their position resembled the one they had a few days ago. Only this time, his princess was the one between his legs.

Like he did, Temari showered his thighs with kisses and caresses, leaving trails of electricity at every touch. Vaguely, he wonders if she felt the same way when he did this to her because it felt _too damn great_ that he wanted her to feel it, too.

"Turn your mind off, anata," she purred, voice dripping with a honey-like quality. It was sweet and inebriating.

Shikamaru was about to formulate a verbal reply but his breath was caught in his throat once she took hold of his member. The heat from her hands were greater now than when she had touched his face earlier. The shinobi dared to look at his wife's face when she began to caress him. There was a look of wonder upon her beautiful features, as if she was extremely astonished by the act of giving him pleasure.

His eyes rolled back as Temari began to move her hands up and down and he couldn't process anything anymore, just the feeling of being aroused. A strangled groan poured between his lips when her thumb grazed the underside of the head of his cock, the motion sending a jolt of heat to the base of his spine.

"T-Tem…ari," he choked her name out and then a steady string of groans resounded through their bedroom when she repeated several more times. The roughness of her palm after years of glove and Tessen use only served as extra stimulation for the shinobi.

With his eyes closed, the heightened sensitivity of his cock felt the heated breaths that she puffed out to him, whether she was conscious of it or not. He had no space to react as Temari claimed his member with her mouth. "Fuck, hime."

The world melted away and every sense he had was demanded by the feel of her mouth on the most intimate part of his sexual body. His mouth ran dry, his ears attuned to the little moans she had begun produce, and his eyes seemed to see streaks of lightning behind his closed lids.

Her mouth was almost as fiery as her walls were around his cock and the tiny cavern mimicked the clench that her pussy offered when they were twined as one. The only difference now was that she had a smart tongue that she seemed to master in giving him the pleasure he needed.

His hand left their comfortable perch on her shoulders and crept their way up to her hair. His fingers grazed her scalp gently before they laid against her head, settling on it as it motioned up and down. Never in Shikamaru's short existence had he expected such a thing to happen to him.

All his life, he was resigned to the fact that he would live a normal life: settle down with an average wife, lead an average shinobi life, and less than spectacular (future) family life. With the way things were going, he deemed reality always found a way to exceed his expectations. And by goodness, he had to wonder what the hell he did well for him to deserve this life now.

A lascivious swirl of her tongue on the tip of his cock mused him out of his barely coherent thoughts and his mouth fell open, letting out a low and gruff growl. His skin felt like it was being set aflame though his muscles felt like they were being electrocuted in the most pleasurable way, if that even made sense.

As Temari continued to render him incapacitated with her mouth, a simmering heat began to bubble at the base of his spine. His stomach started to quiver a little more violently and his hips began to move on their own volition as he took every pleasure she gave him. Not a moment longer and he let himself succumb to the highs of carnal needs, spilling his seed into her mouth.

His breathing turned ragged and his growls became a little louder as she milked him like a parched desert dweller desperate for something to quench the thirst in her throat. His fingers tightened their hold on her hair and he heard her groan gratuitously in reaction. Temari licked him a last time before she let go, a thumb going to the corner her mouth to clean up the little cum that managed to escape past her lips.

Shikamaru lay motionless on their bed in a sort of daze. His eyes were still closed and his senses still blocked most of the outside world out as he settled within their bubble of intimacy. However, he could feel the mattress as they shifted under her motions. When he opened his chocolate-coloured eyes, he was met with incomparable teal orbs that seemed to stare straight into the depths of his soul.

There was a glint in her eyes and a small, playful smirk on her lips as she straddled him. Shikamaru wanted nothing more than to reach up to her and bring her down to kiss her lips but the life in his muscles have yet to return. As if reading his thoughts, Temari closed their distance and seized his lips with hers, kissing him fervently. The shinobi moaned into her mouth as he tasted himself on her tongue.

Without warning, her hand grasped his cock gently once more and he was made to realise that he was still rock-hard even after climaxing. He had to allude that to the height of excitement she was able to create for him. For fuck's sake, he was such a lucky bastard.

He could only watch as she lifted her hips slightly before sinking down on his member. It made Shikamaru shiver visibly when he felt her sheath his cock into her pussy. Temari's eyes rolled back as they fit perfectly, letting out a few ragged breaths as she adjusted to the sensation. The shinobi had to grit his teeth as he felt her circle her hips to aid her in getting used to the pressure and depth of their connection.

Her lithe hands settled on his chest, finally, and their lines of sight met as she began to move, pleasuring him once more. Their eyes locked and their gazes seemed to never break. The look of pleasure upon Temari's face was a sight that he will never, ever get tired of looking at.

Temari moved up till only the head of his cock was nestled inside her and then sank down once more to accommodate him fully. Whichever way they did it, he would always be floored by the way they rubbed and created friction with one another.

Shikamaru greatly enjoyed the way his wife let loose and surrendered herself to their joint pleasure. He had to admit that the way her breasts bounced to the motion she created was just an intoxication that pleased his eyes so. His hands settled with a firm grip on her hips and he found the strength to move against her.

Soon, her throaty moans joined his rough snarls, concocting an opus of pleasured cries that reverberated throughout the confinement of their bedroom. It surprised him when she fell forward and slackened slightly as their climaxes caught up with them.

"Shika…" she sang his name melodiously. "Shikamaru, come with me."

His fingers on her hips tightened as her own grip firmed against his shoulders and they collided with such a force that made his wife bury her face to the crook of his neck. The vibrations that arose from the way Temari cried his name against his skin stirred his mind into a frenzy and his voice managed a garbled utterance of her name.

Their unsteady breathing replaced their orgasmic moans as they sought to calm themselves after their simultaneous explosions. Shikamaru felt her lift her hips a last time and his limp cock slipped out from her caverns. He rolled her gently to his side and engulfed her in a tight embrace, seeking to press every inch of his skin that he could to her own.

"…was I okay?" she asked, her voice a little mousy with uncertainty and self-consciousness.

A chuckle escaped him. "How can you even ask that, hime? You don't do things _un_ -perfectly."

Shikamaru felt his wife smile against his chest and he kissed the crown of her head. "You compliment me too much."

"It's because you deserve it," he replied. A beat of silence passed then, "Thank you, my love. You didn't have to do this."

Temari pursed her lips and squeezed him gently. "I wanted to. You made me feel good the last time and I wanted to do something for you to pay it back."

"I appreciate it, hime."

"Mm. You spoil me; I spoil you. I spoil you; you spoil me. This is how it goes; this has been what's going on even before," she said.

"It is, huh?" he asked rhetorically.

If that was how it's been and how it will be, then in their own minds, they looked forward to the rest of their lives.

* * *

 **A/N:** I will really, really have to thank you all for going with me on this journey. I hope that you will also be on board for my next ShikaTema endeavour, which will happen soon. I am so grateful for the views, the favs, the follows, and the reviews!


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